Stanley’s teammates have played an important role in the numbers he has put up so far, and he’ll be the first to say so.

Iowa boasted a lethal tight end duo comprised of Noah Fant and T.J. Hockenson for Stanley’s two seasons as well as Nick Easley, who developed into Stanley’s security blanket after transferring from Iowa Western.

Hockenson and Fant heard their names called in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft, while Easley signed with the Buffalo Bills as an undrafted free agent.

Now, it’s a new era.

Nate Wieting and Shaun Beyer have taken up residence at tight end, and wide receivers Ihmir Smith-Marsette and Brandon Smith are set up for bigger roles.

If Stanley can navigate the new personnel in the huddle, he’ll put himself in a solid position to etch his name in the record books.

He’s confident in what the offense has to offer.

“We don’t think anybody’s just going to sit back and say, ‘Oh man, we lost [Fant and Hockenson], so we can’t move the ball,” Stanley said. “We expect ourselves to statistically improve every year. You’re really just excited for the guys that we have out on the field.”

As difficult as it can be to move on from a historic duo of pass catchers, this isn’t some façade Stanley puts up. He admitted he wouldn’t be within striking distance of Long’s touchdown record if it wasn’t for his teammates.

That humility is something some of the best Iowa quarterbacks have possessed, including the man Stanley continues to chase.

“[Long] was careful to avoid somehow being credited with doing more to generate a win than any of his teammates,” said Don Patterson, who was on the Hawkeye coaching staff when Long played and coached alongside Long from 1995-98. “He was always quick to give credit to his teammates and his coaches. That’s what smart quarterbacks do.”

Although he’s close to making a mark no other Iowa quarterback has made, Stanley isn’t focused on it. Instead, he’s driven to win a Big Ten West title in a year where the division is wide open.

At the end of the season, Stanley may not hold Iowa’s program record for most touchdown passes in a single season. But he could grab a Big Ten title. He’d settle for that. Or, if he’s once again capable of finding open targets and making good decisions as he has done in the past, he could have both.

“I’m hoping in the meantime on his way to fighting for a championship that he does break the touchdown record and put that one away,” Long said. “I’ve had that record long enough. It’s time for somebody else to have [it].”